Notifications
Clear all

Work

MemberMember
129
(@kay24)

Posted : 07/16/2015 6:01 pm

I was wondering how much you think acne and/or scarring affects your work life. I'm mid twenties, graduating next year with a bachelor's in accounting. Right now, I'm choosing not to work because of anxiety. I'm in therapy and they're aware of my concerns. I have moderate to severe scarring. I know not everyone has scarring, just acne, but do you feel it inhibits your work life and career at all? That's what I'm scared of more than anything. I'm going to keep treating the scarring and seeing a counselor, but I wanted to hear others stories on the matter.

Quote
MemberMember
38
(@ihateusernamesx)

Posted : 07/18/2015 3:34 pm

Oh totally. I'm pretty high up in my job (its only fast food though haha) and I feel I dont perform as well because sometimes being aware of my skin takes priority over my role. I try to get on with it but I have took sick days over it.

Quote
MemberMember
568
(@leelowe1)

Posted : 07/18/2015 8:43 pm

I'm a teacher and having acne is quite off putting. I know that my coworkers stare and a few have approached. I also feel I sometimes pull back because of it. I would recommend you just jump right in because no one knows when acne will clear up, if ever.

Quote
MemberMember
17
(@k3tchup)

Posted : 07/20/2015 5:41 am

On the medical floor i worked it made a difference in patient interaction specifically the younger ones and those with family present.Not all though. I learned to love the elderly for their lack of sight or deteriorating sense of sight i should say as they were less apt to judge. My coworkers well..hit and miss. Not much I could do about it, but it did create social anxiety that I tried to manage which they probably weren't aware of as I have gotten pretty good at it.

Quote
MemberMember
12
(@lucky987)

Posted : 07/21/2015 11:38 am

Kay24, I hope you don't let your acne get in the way of the career you wish to pursue.

 

In the workplace I feel that your performance and personality will outshine any judgements that people have regarding your acne.

 

I worked in Marketing, I hated video work but you know what, you just have to do it! otherwise you'd be cheating yourself from reaching your potential.

bumpee and Kay24 liked
Quote
MemberMember
11
(@jabberwocky80)

Posted : 07/30/2015 12:27 pm

 

I taught middle school for 8 years. My moderate to severe cystic acne started when I was 27 and in my 3rd year teaching. I feel as though this cystic acne started due to stress from a traumatic experience in my life. Now it's not as bad, but I'm still mentally effed up from the traumatic event (PTSD, anxiety, depression, anger issues) as well as the discovery that my hormone levels are wacky and dairy contributes to my acne. In the years that I taught before all this started, I was excited, vibrant, more outgoing, etc. I had a rough first year teaching but the second was lovely. Unfortunately in my 3rd year I was in a different school that was just all around HORRIBLE. So that sucked, then I went through that traumatic experience, then my skin started freaking out. After it started and I couldn't get a handle on it and the scars started forming my self-esteem (which has always been fragile) was completely destroyed. After my 3rd year was up I moved to another school, and while I had good and bad years teaching there, I was extremely self conscious about my skin...the acne, the scars, the way light struck my fact, etc. I know kids made comments about me. In my 3rd year, at that shitty school, some of the shitty students started calling me alien, even to my face! In the last 5 years I taught I wasn't bashed like I was in my 3rd year, but I did occasionally get insulted by the kids..."cracker face" was one (have no idea what that meant...I picked up a note a girl was passing and wonder if she meant "crater face"), another time it got back to me that a kid called me a witch or witch face...so even though I know I'm self conscious about my skin I can't help but wonder if the kids' insults were because of my acne and not just because they were little shits, lol. Another time a former student of mine called me a crater face...in front of my in-laws and at their house!!! (I'd already left their house, but she said that to them about me. Gawd!!!)

 

It hurts like hell. It still does. I'd be lying if I said it didn't. I've been out of teaching for two years now, and when I've tried finding another job nothing ever seems to pan out. I can't help but feel that my scars impact my job hunt. Like I said on another post, I've got plenty of great experience and awesome qualifications. *shrug* While my post is kind of a Debbie Downer, lol, I promise it isn't to dissuade you. Please understand that. I'm just telling you how I feel and what I've experienced. It's helpful to be able to discuss it.

Quote
MemberMember
32
(@chris1337)

Posted : 07/30/2015 8:38 pm

I can go on forever on why but yes i strongly believe it effects me in every way. Job interviews, progression, working etc

Quote
MemberMember
10
(@lus4279)

Posted : 08/04/2015 7:42 pm

Yer it definitely does. Especially because of how highly employees view your confidence or lack of. I know I could never change job to one that required me to wear any sort of uniform where I couldn't cover my neck so unless I'm allowed to wear a shirt with my collar really high then there would be no chance what so ever but I suppose it comes down to how much you let it effect you.

Quote
MemberMember
12
(@nish11)

Posted : 08/06/2015 10:11 am

This topic strikes a chord with me.

 

I had a severe cystic breakout, oh...right about the day before my first day of work as a researcher. It was a struggle to go up to total strangers and introduce myself. I had my long hair down to cover my cheeks and I often stayed in my cubicle instead of socializing with the others in the office. And being a researcher, it helped that I had to work independently most of the time. I was a self-conscious wreck but tried my best to hide it with a fake smile. I guess it worked because no one mentioned a word to me about my acne save for one particular colleague who thought of herself as some sort of Aunt Agony to everyone in the office. When she asked me, "What happened to your face? You need to do something", I couldn't stand it any more and took the next day off to see a doctor and got prescribed some medications. Thankfully, my skin only began to improve from there and along with that, my confidence and performance at work soared again.

 

Still, I don't think it was right for me to let my confidence at work correlate with the severity of my acne. I should have been confident no matter what. But it's easier said than done. First impressions still do count for something, unfortunately.

Quote
MemberMember
2
(@pickleshmickle)

Posted : 08/06/2015 7:35 pm

Acne was a huge influence on the profession I went into. I'm a molecular biologist working on my PhD. It's a good gig that allows me to hide away from society and work the hours I want to.

Quote